CFL Light Tutorial

defently, i think i can give some useful information and take alot in! im just trying to get to grips with this site, my brains always a bit slow n dazed lol i want to be apart of it as much as i can but i dont know how, i think i added you as a friend fryingpan but not sure i added you right.
 
defently, i think i can give some useful information and take alot in! im just trying to get to grips with this site, my brains always a bit slow n dazed lol i want to be apart of it as much as i can but i dont know how, i think i added you as a friend fryingpan but not sure i added you right.

You did it right, your on my friends list now. Don't be afraid to ask, someone here knows the answer.
 
A boon from the Gods. Something I share.....because good stuff does happen....even to us Irish blooded once in a while.

So as the ladies grow in a small but friendly veg. room....I have set the plan and have been working on a grow room......a modest 12' X 10' X 12'. Thought this would be perfect. Yes a little large....but hey this is California. And in my mind some is good, more is better, and way too much....is almost enough. I am sure some of you relate.

And as the plants have been growing.....
and alas! the clones....there were some ROOTS....popping out of the rockwool......just like you nuts said they should. The motivation popped in.....like I gotta get this stuff built. I am really not killing these plants,,,,they are growing.....and well at least content...


Now the lights are not a problem....I mean in California there really are no problems...only opportunities. It does help being an electrician....and a scrounge. The future costs are figured into the plan...HA HA HA a plan......I laugh myself at the idea....

But I needed drywall.....and drywall is expensive. Why drywall aka sheetrock? Insulation, noise, fireproof, etc. etc. But at 6 bucks a pop...for a 4X8 sheet. and insulating and covering the inside roof stud cavities...the price is restrictive. AND since I have beenn laid off for a month now... there is no job site to scrounge/forrage/obtain/borrow/offer a good solid home for.......I was racking my brain...and offering mental Twinkies to the sky. (Hey the God's of my understanding like to suck down a Twinkie now and again)

And my prayers answered. Walking out of Homie Depot today......a MoFo big ass pile of drywall was stacked....with the note.....damaged drywall 47 pieces.....for $50.00.

The BEER FLAVORED NIPPLES moment of my day.

And I smiled.....and laughed...because the damage was minimal. Actually I normally damage drywall much worse in my normal handling of such things.

And Homie Depot sends a cashier out to help me load it up.....both times (as it took two trips). And of course I offered my sincere gratitude to the dude who helped me out....had to buy him a soda as Homie Depot drug test often.

So my flower room is full steam ahead. And I offer this little story as 1. gratitude to answered prayers and 2. support for those who are in the same situation....or will be and do not yet know it.

Think positive,....and it will happen. Or be bitter and doom and gloom with life.....and just pretend to be positive around me.

Because my goal......is to have only one singe grow....that will last for many many years.


So the point of the story.......

If you are praying to God to win the lottery.......help him out by buying a ticket.

Have a great day peeps.
 
A boon from the Gods. Something I share.....because good stuff does happen....even to us Irish blooded once in a while.

So as the ladies grow in a small but friendly veg. room....I have set the plan and have been working on a grow room......a modest 12' X 10' X 12'. Thought this would be perfect. Yes a little large....but hey this is California. And in my mind some is good, more is better, and way too much....is almost enough. I am sure some of you relate.

And as the plants have been growing.....
and alas! the clones....there were some ROOTS....popping out of the rockwool......just like you nuts said they should. The motivation popped in.....like I gotta get this stuff built. I am really not killing these plants,,,,they are growing.....and well at least content...


Now the lights are not a problem....I mean in California there really are no problems...only opportunities. It does help being an electrician....and a scrounge. The future costs are figured into the plan...HA HA HA a plan......I laugh myself at the idea....

But I needed drywall.....and drywall is expensive. Why drywall aka sheetrock? Insulation, noise, fireproof, etc. etc. But at 6 bucks a pop...for a 4X8 sheet. and insulating and covering the inside roof stud cavities...the price is restrictive. AND since I have beenn laid off for a month now... there is no job site to scrounge/forrage/obtain/borrow/offer a good solid home for.......I was racking my brain...and offering mental Twinkies to the sky. (Hey the God's of my understanding like to suck down a Twinkie now and again)

And my prayers answered. Walking out of Homie Depot today......a MoFo big ass pile of drywall was stacked....with the note.....damaged drywall 47 pieces.....for $50.00.

The BEER FLAVORED NIPPLES moment of my day.

And I smiled.....and laughed...because the damage was minimal. Actually I normally damage drywall much worse in my normal handling of such things.

And Homie Depot sends a cashier out to help me load it up.....both times (as it took two trips). And of course I offered my sincere gratitude to the dude who helped me out....had to buy him a soda as Homie Depot drug test often.

So my flower room is full steam ahead. And I offer this little story as 1. gratitude to answered prayers and 2. support for those who are in the same situation....or will be and do not yet know it.

Think positive,....and it will happen. Or be bitter and doom and gloom with life.....and just pretend to be positive around me.

Because my goal......is to have only one singe grow....that will last for many many years.


So the point of the story.......

If you are praying to God to win the lottery.......help him out by buying a ticket.

Have a great day peeps.

God certainly smiled down on you.
 
Yes. God does smile.....but he also laughs.......alot. Because I awoke to the sound of tap tap tap......OMG rain.....this is los angeles....it is not supposed to rain here.
This was not part of the plan.....

Nothing wakes a person up like moving about 30 pieces of drywall into the garage first thing in the morning.

SO.....the next point........

If one does buy that lottery ticket. And God does smile on you. And you have the winning ticket......take it out of your shirt pocket before you toss your clothes into the washer machine.


Keeping me laughing. As life does.

origami joint
 
lol...great posts origami, were they 4X8 or 4X12 sheets? I can't see a single person moving 4X12 sheets by themselves. Rain...in Los Angeles...the world IS coming to an end! :D

And to keep this on topic...I emailed my favorite CFL manufacturer earlier this week to ask them how long it takes for their bulbs to degrade from their "initial" rating to their "mean" rating. Haven't heard anything yet but I will post their reply when I get it.
 
lol...great posts origami, were they 4X8 or 4X12 sheets? I can't see a single person moving 4X12 sheets by themselves. Rain...in Los Angeles...the world IS coming to an end! :D

And to keep this on topic...I emailed my favorite CFL manufacturer earlier this week to ask them how long it takes for their bulbs to degrade from their "initial" rating to their "mean" rating. Haven't heard anything yet but I will post their reply when I get it.

I've asked a lot of people the same question and never got an answer that was believable or acceptable. I bought a light meter last year and found out most of my bulbs that had completed a grow did not produce no where hear 1/3 as much light as a new one. I am thinking ......I'm not sure now, but I am thinking that after one grow, the bulb has had it. It looks the same, but it don't put out the lumens.

Let us know what you find out.
 
Hmm, a light meter would be a fun toy to have...I calculated the hours that I have already used on the bulbs and it did not seem excessive. My growth this grow compared to my first grow when they were new is as good as before I made the chandelier and put a reflector on it. I think I used my blue spectrums for about six weeks total on a 20/4 schedule and the reds were used for 9-10 weeks with the usual 12/12 cycle. So far this grow it's been exactly eight weeks to the day with an 18/6 schedule and I'm still getting strong growth...too bad I can't actually meter the lumen output like you can, I'm very interesting in finding out how fast they degrade.
 
lol...great posts origami, were they 4X8 or 4X12 sheets? I can't see a single person moving 4X12 sheets by themselves. Rain...in Los Angeles...the world IS coming to an end! :D

The sheets were 4X8.....I have moved the longer sheets by myself. They are tricky....and my only thought while moving that sheet was "thank God I am a sparky and not a taper or mudder"

Good to hear from you.
 
Hmm, a light meter would be a fun toy to have...I calculated

I had this exact thought today.....that way I could map out the diminish of light with age/use of the light....plus another tool.....tools are cool.

Looking around for a good buy for one....will post my finds.

someday.

All cameras have a light meter... you just have to find out how to use it. Some will tell you exactly, others you have to guess by how they set the shutter speed, ISO, and aperture when they are on automatic.

Worst case, take a picture on a digital camera on "automatic" and check the pictures "properties" for the settings it was shot with. Smaller aperture size or faster shutter speed or lower ISO will all translate to more light.
 
Waht a great deal! Keep it up brother this will be a grat adventure.
 
All cameras have a light meter... you just have to find out how to use it. Some will tell you exactly, others you have to guess by how they set the shutter speed, ISO, and aperture when they are on automatic.

Worst case, take a picture on a digital camera on "automatic" and check the pictures "properties" for the settings it was shot with. Smaller aperture size or faster shutter speed or lower ISO will all translate to more light.

Are you referring to the histogram that shows a visual representation of the light/dark composition of what you're about to shoot?

I don't think that's really accurate enough to judge when your bulbs have lost enough output to warrant replacing them. I could be wrong but if the light changes enough for the camera to make an adjustment then I would think the difference is enough for the human eye to detect as well. As Roseman said he had tested some of his bulbs and even though they looked normal to his eyes the output was reduced according to his meter.

I like your idea though, I really do! I'm just not sure if it's reliable and I'm sure some cameras have better light meters than others. Definitely something worthy of more discussion. :thumb: +rep for that idea
 
I have admired the PVC pipe creations that the CFL's get Multi connected to. They are impressive. No smart ass comments. Really.

So here is a little knowledge that might help some of you out with future creations.


OK.....I am going do my best to explain a construction skill that I know is the coolest thing I do as an Electrician. It involves FIRE and PLASTIC and PVC GLUE.

PVC if heated to the correct temperature will become "wiggly" and that is a tech. term. Look it up.

As a sparky we must have a gradual bend or radius for the wire to be able to pull through. AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DEGREES OF BEND BETWEEN BOXES IS 360. KINDA MAKES IT HARD TO PULL WIRE PAST 360. Oh and for you electricians out there....Kicks don't cont. Or so we pray.

So when doing concrete deck work (think of a large multi story parking garage. Look at the lights mounted on the walls....there should be no visible conduit as it is buried in the concrete. We basically heat our PVC up (ours is grey and the plumbers is white) with a propane weed burner carefully. Read carefully as I am fully aware that many of you (myself included) will be doing this on the gas stove. In your kitchen. SO...
 
1. Grab a pair oven gloves. And have them on when heating and bending the PVC. If no oven gloves...use leather gloves or then any kind of hand protection. You do need something.

2. Get a bowl of water with a rag or sponge in it ready to use.
3. Turn on you stove.
4. Place the PVC about two to three inches above the very top flame height.
5. Turn the PVC as you move it back and forth over the flame. It really is like roasting a marshmallow. Cus if it starts to char.....you are too slow and are doing it wrong. So get a new pipe and hide the one you just ruined from the Foreman.

If your smoke detector starts to go off....you are doing it wrong.

If you are a pryo.....you are going to do it wrong...go buy a prefab bend.

Here is the trick........about 1.5 seconds before the PVC gets burnt......the outer surface will get really glossy.

Imagine the hot dog cookers at the convenient store....

Oh and you have to heat up a long enough area for the bend without kinking the conduit.

When the pipe is all "wiggly" Set it on the floor. (not if you are doing this over carpet)

And make your bend.

Most kitchens have the 12 X 12 floor tiles of some kind of wood/tile with a repeating pattern. Use that as you guide for the 90 or 45 or whatever.

When you have you bend........take the wet sponge and wipe the PVC down...it will speed up the cooling and quickly lock the pipe in place.

Turn off the stove.

A few other tricks when doing this......if you are working with larger conduit or pipe......tape up the ends really really well. I use end caps. The trapped heat (because it has expanded) will keep the walls for kinking.

Always try to make you bend then cut to proper length. This is because if you heat up too close to the ends they get "all dicked up" another professional tech term. and it makes it a little challenge to couple or connect. (read need a BFH to make it work)

NOW get some PVC glue.....The Red Hot Blue Glue is the best....but any approved glue will due.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

The glue gives a nice mellow mid morning headace...with a soft but alert

----just make sure you have fresh air-----

Oh and since I feel like a Foreman teaching a new apprentice how to do this I will close this note with the way all good Foreman end conversations.

"and hurry the F up"

Let me know how it works
 
By the way when it gets all "wiggly" and you grab it with your bare hand you will get all "dicked up". :rofl:

Great idea and I love your delivery. It's something I would never have thought about. + rep origamijoint. This makes learning fun. :welldone: :peace:
 
Back In The Saddle Again...

Thanks to this tutorial, I bought a couple of indica clones from Harborside Health Center in San Jose, CA and transferred them to their new home on March 1. My last harvest was in January and I took a little break. I was seriously thinking about buying a new HID but after perusing Roseman's December Harvest I thought - what the hell - just reconfigure the dual spectrum lights I got with my Stealth Hydro kit.

I have them in a dark blue 5 gallon bucket. I was lazy and didn't hook up the tube irrigator...big mistake. They didn't grow much and showed slight signs of stress. I hooked up the tube lines this weekend and the roots took off like crazy and the plants are showing visible new growth.

I've got to hand it to you Deep Water Culture, this technique really does kick ass.

I'm going to be very patient with this grow and pay a little more attention to detail. I've grown some decent buds in the past, but not like I can buy at the dispensary. I hate to admit that I haven't followed a schedule/calendar after 12/12 and just harvested by eyeball. This time, I'll pay more attention to trich development and color and DAYS IN FLOWER.

I'll provide more detail about the bulbs etc. later on.

Thanks again to Roseman and others for contributing to this thread and educating this community!:thanks:

:peacetwo:
 
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